Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I finally got out and did my long run for the week. I know it's only Tuesday, but I was supposed to do this run on Sunday. I put it off as I was to lazy to do it on Sunday and settled for a 5 miler at Mohican. Monday was no better and I did my scheduled 3 miler at Mohican. This morning I was so inspired to get out and run, I put the whole 16 miles in. It was nice being 58, cloudy and breezy. It was rather humid though. The trail was isolated with hardly a sole to be past.Oh well it's in the books so to speak. Tomorrow a tempo run of 8 miles. On on!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Since Sunday I have been so busy time has just flew by.Monday I did a run of 5 miles at Mohican. They included road and trail.Tuesday I was to run 3 miles, but did not. I will do two runs on Thursday. Tuesday was a 4-way cross country meet at our school, so with set up, races and tear down, the day was a blurrrrr!Today I ran an 8 mile tempo run. It was a worker and I'm 4 weeks out of shape. Did the run down at Mohican where I know the distances. At CC practice today I told the athletes the whinnying had to go or the whiners were going. I also told them they would be at practice during the Loudonville street fair or they would be gone baby gone.So there you have it quick and dirty......Thursday two - three mile runs. Now give me a break, this is a 30 mile week and doing 15 miles on Sunday left little mileage to distribute for the week. Don't worry I will pay in the weeks of 60 and 70 miles.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

This morning Rob Powell and I planned on doing a 15 mile run.Rob called last night, Saturday and asked if I would be interested in running with the Mansfield Running Club in Lexington at the B+O Trail. Running with people is usually better than running alone, so I said sure.So we met in Lexington at 7 AM. Quite a large group to start, but that dwindled down pretty quickly. Michelle the speed demon was running with me and Rob as things broke up. Michelle was doing a 17 mile run and wanted to do it at marathon pace, so after a mile to 2 miles she was off on a 7:15 pace. That left me and Rob. My plan was to run 15 and try and keep it at under 10 minute miles. Rob had some thoughts of his own. He would run with me to the 7.5 mile turn around and do his marathon pace for the return 7.5 miles. That would be 8:30 pace. So we parted ways.I returned to the parking lot at the end of the run with a group still waiting to greet the lingerers.To find out Rob ran 7:15-7:30 pace on the return. This is good as he has a marathon next weekend. Good Luck Rob at Akron Marathon.........The Mansfield Running Club were a nice group and I enjoyed meeting them and look forward to running with them in the future.

Friday, September 19, 2008

5:30 PM I went to the Mohican forest headquarters and ran 4 miles of road. There was not a person to be found and very pleasant to run.

So, for those of you who want to know how I plan on getting ready for my 100 miler, take a look:

Wk #1 (9/21-27) 30 miles: includes 15 mile long one and a tempo run. Weight 155#.Wk#2 (9/28-10/4) 40 miles: includes 16 mile long and a tempo run.Wk#3 (10/5-10/11) 50 miles: includes 18 mile long and a tempo run.wk#4 (10/12-10/18) 60 miles: includes 20 mile long, a tempo run, and moderate 10 mile. Weight down to 145.Wk#5 (10/19-10/25) 70 miles: includes 25 mile long, 2-10 mile, 1-12 mile, and a tempo run.Wk#6 (10/26-11/1) 60 miles: 20 mile long, 1-10 mile, and a tempo run.Wk#7 (11/2-11/8) 50 miles: 25 mile long and a tempo run.Wk#8 (11/9-11/15) 50 miles: 30 mile long and a tempo run. Weight 135#.Wk#9 (11/16-11/22) 50 miles: 18 miles long and a tempo run.Wk#10 (11/23-11/29) 50+miles: Nifty 50, RI if they have it and a tempo run.Let's just go to week 10 for now and see how I do. There will be an additional 10 weeks to Rocky Raccoon 100.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Well to keep it simple I ran 3.5 miles with my cross country team. Actually parts there of. Ran very little with the fast runners, more with Haley, and surpassed a few of the extremely slow ones.Haley just happens to run my pace.The run was from LHS to the pool and back. So not much to talk about, but there will be more tomorrow.

I'm Back!!Yesterday I wanted to give my runners a long run after their Tuesday meet. However I wanted to do a hill workout, so I came up with a run that would accommodate both. From the Loudonville High School there is a road that heads west called Maple Heights and has a horrendous hill with over a 300 foot climb. From there the runners continue on a roller coaster to the State Forest Entrance. Basically 4 miles out and return 4 miles. Some of the slower runners I had run 3.3 miles out and 3.3 miles back.Well they were thrilled!I was not planning on running the run since it would be to painful and I was going to do an easy flat run with are lesser runners. But no, several of my runners conned me into doing the hill run.I went out with my top girl runner. We headed up Maple Heights hill. One third of the way up I bonked. I told her to go on as I could not do it on the day. She continued on and I thought if she could get up over that g-dam hill so could I. So on I went. I whole purpose of the run was to work the hills. On on!I finally caught up we Haley at 2.1 miles and we headed on together. My number 5 boy (Jon) was to turn around at the 2.1 mile mark and head back. The number 4 boy (Andrew) asked him to run to the 3.3 mile turn around before they started. I told Jon he should turn around at the 2.1 mile turn around as he was not capable of making it to the 3.3 mile turnaround and back.Well my strategy worked as he continued on with Andrew.Haley and I ran on also. This is an up and down run the whole way. We made it out and back again. I can tell you I slept well last night and I'm sure all those kids did too.

I think this run and last Sunday's trail run with Rob and Michelle were a true wake up call for me to get my ass in gear. Lose 20 pounds and get 50 - 70 mile running weeks back in place.How else am I going to run a sub-20 hour Rocky Raccoon 100.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Today I entered the Ghost Town 38.5 Mile Ultra in New Mexico. The race will be run on January 18. Some asphalt road, some dirt road and some primitive trail in the beautiful high desert of New Mexico.This will give me the needed focus to do the training in preparation for the race. I am more likely to do a training plan when it has a race connected to it. So now the training begins.I am also planning on doing Rocky Raccoon 100 in February. Let the pain begin.So far my scheduled races are as follows: 11/23 Nifty Fifty, RI (if they have it.), 12/13 URINEO 50, 1/18 Ghost Town 38.5, NM, 2/7 Rocky Raccoon 100.That's a start to 2009.You probably noted the Nifty Fifty race as if they have it. I have been wanting to do this race over the years, but always something gets in the way. Then the race was dropped. This year I noticed it was part of the New England Ultra Series. Which did not happen. I have been in contact with the race director and he said he may have it if there was enough interest. He said he wanted to do it on November 23 instead if the December 13 date that was listed in the N.E. Ultra Series. I have not heard from him if it is a go or not. If it is I will be there.

Now cross country, which has taken a lot of my spare time. My number 1 boy runner won his 3rd invitational in 4 meets. As a sophomore he is doing great and this coming Saturday will be his true test, as there will be 3 to 4 runners at his level. We will see what kind of metal he has.I think he will break the school record of 16:24. Of course he does not know how fast he can really go. He does have a 16:30 under his belt.My number 1 girl has been doing well, but was having problems getting a PR. I finally figured out her problem. She was running her races, but not competing in the races. Her first mile she races for position, then her 2nd and 3rd she maintains position even if the girls in front of her slow down. I told her she needs to be more aggressive and after the first mile go after the next girl and then the next and so on. Her last invitational she did that and got her PR. She said she felt great and had a focus throughout her race. Even though many of those girls on the line may be nice, after the guns goes off each and everyone of them are the enemy and should be trampled. I think she gets the picture now.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Sunday morning Rob Powell arrived at my house at 7:00 am for a nice trail run in Mohican.Rob wanted to do a longer run in preparation for the marathons he has coming up in September, and I wanted to kick start my training. What better way than a nice 21 mile run on trails.It was 50 degrees with a lot of moisture in the air at the start of our journey. We decided to do the red and green loops of the Mohican Trail 100. It was such an enjoyable run. We did take it slow as Rob was so out of shape and drinking beer like a drunk sailor while watching the Ohio State game on Saturday. I was just out of shape!!!!!! My downfall is all the ice cream I eat during the summer.We got to Rock point in around 2 hours with a little more than half way to go. On our way there we ran into a friend we both knew. Paul Bower was out walking his two dogs. Paul knew Rob as a young boy and was good friends with his dad. Rob hasn't seen Paul for years and I don't think Paul recognized him at first, so it was a nice reunion.After Rock Point we stopped to pickup our stashed water about a half mile down the trail. The rest of the run was uneventful except more people were out and about. Temperatures were rising and our vim and vigor was waining. After the fire tower, a new section of trail was had going around a gas well. While I don't think it added too much extra distance, the trail was excellent removing a 1/10th mile of gravel access road. All and all a nice run, now it's time to get back into the full swing of training for a race in November.

I am a retired forester, having worked for the state of Ohio as a Forest Manager for 15 years and a Natural Resource Administrator for 15 years.
I have been involved in high school coaching of cross country and track since the early 1990's, primarily at Loudonville High School.
I am married to Betty J. (Mossor) Baun for 30+ years.